Bobby Darin

Walden Robert Cassotto (14 May 1936-20 December 1973), better known as Bobby Darin, was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and an actor in film and television. He was born in East Harlem, New York City, New York, and his mother - who gave birth to him out of wedlock - pretended that she was his sister until Darin was 32, driving Darin into a period of seclusion. He started his career as a songwriter for Connie Francis, and he recorded his first million-selling single, "Splish Splash", in 1958. This was followed by "Dream Lover", "Mack the Knife", and "Beyond the Sea", bringing him worldwide fame. In 1962, he won a Golden Globe Award for his first film, Come September. During the 1960s, he became more politically active, working on Robert F. Kennedy's Democratic presidential campaign in 1968. He was present at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California on 5 June 1968 when Kennedy was assassinated, and Kennedy's assassination and the discovery of his mother's true identity led to him entering a period of seclusion. The sickly Darin underwent heart surgery in Los Angeles in 1973, and he died during the operation, dying at the young age of 37.